Gul: We Expect E.U. To Take Important Steps About Cyprus

BRUSSELS - Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul met with his Greek counterpart George Papandreou in Brussels on Thursday.
The two leaders reached consensus on searching cooperation possibilities between the two countries in the Middle East.
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Huseyin Dirioz said that Gul and Papandreou mainly discussed issues of Middle East, Cyprus, Turkey-EU relations and bilateral issues in the meeting.
Papandreou informed Gul about his visit to the Middle East and proposed that the two countries should make cooperation in the region.
The two foreign ministers also discussed the developments in Iraq. Papandreou said in the meeting that the radical groups in Iraq could constitute a serious threat in the future, stressing that Muslim, secular and democratic Turkey could play an important role in decreasing tension and preventing clashes in this region.
Papandreou who invited Gul to EU-Mediterranean conference that would be held in Crete at the end of May, said that clash among cultures would be taken up in that meeting.
Dirioz said that Turkey and Greece reached consensus of opinion to make cooperation to prevent the spread of SARS to the Balkans.
Papandreou also brought onto agenda briefly the claims of airspace violations during the meeting.
Responding to questions of journalists before attending the European Convention meeting, Gul said that they expected EU to take important steps about Cyprus issue in the coming days.
''We guess that important developments will take place about Cyprus in the coming days,'' said Gul.
Gul stressed that they wanted the embargo on TRNC to be lifted and that he continuously brought onto agenda this issue in his contacts with EU representatives.
(ÖS-AÖ) 15.05.2003